Traffic signal



Sept. 8, 1925. 1,552,816

H. BLEDsoE TRA PF1 c s mmh Filed Jan. 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet T-1 l E L:E E

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H. BLEDSOE TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Jan. 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n?"/gdgo] f/ M.. w, Vw

Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES HARRY BLEDSOE, F TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Application filed January 29, 1925. Serial No. 5,563.

T o all whomt may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY BLEDsoE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traffic Signals;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to 1o which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention aims to provide a rather simple and inexpensive, yet anefficient and desirable signaling device which is designed primarily foruse at the intersections of city streets for the purpose of controllingtraliic, the device being provided with signaling lenses and lights andthe latter being preferably controlled automatically by a flasher.

In carrying out the invention, I provide -a structure in thenature of atower which is horizontally and vertically partitioned, ,a

further aim being to provide unique constructions whereby thepartitioning means are effectively held in place without the necessityof bolting or otherwise securing them to other parts of the structure.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides inthe novel subject matter hereinafterdescribed and claimed, thedescription being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.v

Figure l'is a side elevation of a signaling device constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view along the upper portionof the line 2-3 of F ig. 1.

Figure 3 is a further enlarged vertical sectional view along the lowerportion of the line 2-3.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view as indicated by line 4-4 of Fig.3.

Figure. 5 is a plan view of one of the horizontal partitions.

Figures 6 and 7 are end elevations showing two forms of visors which maybe used over the signaling lenses.

Figures 8 and 9 are side elevations of the Visors shown in Figs. 6 and 7respectiveltya portion of Fig. ,8 `being broken away an in section.

In thedrawin above briefly descrlbed, the numeral 1 des1gnates anappropriate base which may be formed of cement or other desiredmaterial, and the dotted lines 2, indicate a conduit extending throughthe base to receive current conducting wires for the signaling lightsand a flasher which is preferably employed to control such lights, saidflasher being receivable in an appropriately shaped cabinet or the like3 which is inounted upon the base 1 land may well be provided withhinged doors 4. A plurality` of' spaced corner posts 5 rise from thecabinet 3 and may be secured to the top of the latter in any desiredmanner. For purposes of illustration, studs 6 have been shown on thelower ends of the posts, passing through openings in the to of thecabinet 3 and provided with nuts 7 lilach corner post 5 is provided witha pair of vertical, angularly related flanges 8 which are preferablyoffset inwardly to some extent from the body portion of the post, asshown in Fig. 5. A lower series of side plates 9 are secured by bolts orthe like 10 to the flanges 8 and have their upper edges disposedsubstantially in a single horizontal plane. Resting upon these upperedges of the plates 9, is a horizontal partition plate 11 whose cornerportions are recessed as shown at 12 in Figs. 4 and 5, to receive theflanges 8 of the corner posts 5. A second series of side plates 13 havebeen shown secured to the flanges 8, said plates 13 having outwardlyoffset lower ends which provide shoulders 14 resting on the partition11, and downwardly projecting flange portions 15 which extend across theedges of said partition 11 and overlap the outer Isides of the sideplates 9. By this arrangement, not only is a water-tight connectionrovided between the plates 9 and 13, but t ese plates effectively holdthe partition 11 in place without the necessity of securing the latterby bolts, rivets or the like.

The upper edges of the plates 13 are disposed in substantially a commonplane and they support a horizontal partition 11a which is a duplicateof the partition 11, said partition 11a being held down by anotherseries of side plates 13a which are duplicates of the side plates 13.The upper ends of these plates 13n support another horizontal partition11b similar to the partitions 11 and 11, and an upper series of sideplates 13b retain the partition 11b in place, said plates 13b beingsubstantially identical with the plates 13 and 13a, although they are ofgreater height. A suitable top 16 is applied to the upper end of thedevice and may be secured to the corner posts 5, the plates 18", orboth.

A horizontal partition 11c is disposed within the series of side plates13b and is supported in the manner hereinafter described. The partitions11, 11a 11b and 11 divide the tower horizontally to provide si gnalingcompartments which have been identified as C, C1, C2 and CB. Below thepartition 11, another compartment C4 is also provided which may receiveany necessary electrical connections or the like. The compartment C isdivided by vertical, radially disposed partitions 17, into fourauxiliary compartments, each containing a signaling light 18, and toprovide the four partitions 17, I preferably bend two pieces of sheetmetal into the V-shape shown in Fig. 4 and secure the corner portions ofthese pieces together, by bolts or the like 19.

The compartments C1 and C2 are divided by vertical partitions 17a and17h, respectively, which may well be constructed in the same manner asthe partitions 17, and said p partitions 17b preferably form the solesupporting means for the horizontal partition 11C. In the auxiliarycompartments into which the compartments C1 and C2 are divided by thepartitions. 17a and 17b respectively, signaling lights 18a and 18b arelocated, while in the compartment C3, a. night light 18c is mounted. Theside plates of this last named compartment are provided with red glass,night lenses 2() and the sides of the compartments C, C1 and C2 areequipped with lenses 21, 22 and 23 respectively, the lenses of one ofthese compartments being all red, those of another all green and thoseof the third all yellow, in the preferred form of the device. Suitablevisors 24 are secured to the side plates of the tower over the numerouslenses, and these Visors may be of any desired formation, one type beingshown for instance in Fig, 1, another type in Figs. 6 and 8, and a thirdform in Figs. 7 and 9.

The sectional construction of the device permits it to be built up to4practically any desired height to contain any necessary number ofsignaling compartments, and the signaling lights of these compartmentsmay be controlled either automatically by a flasher, or manually fromsome remote point, as will be readily' understood. In either instance,the device will be very advantageous and it is obvious that its generalconstruction is rather simple and inexpensive, yet is adequate for thepurposes intended. As excellent results are obtainable from the detailsdisclosed, such details are preferably followed. However, within thescope of the invention as claimed, it will be understood thatmodifications may be made.

I claim:

1.I A signaling device comprising a base, corner posts rising therefrom,a lower series of vertical side plates secured to said posts and havingtheir upper edges disposed in substantially the same plane, a horizontalpartition rest-ing on said upper edges of said side plates, and an upperseries of vertical side plates secured to said posts and having theirlower end portions outwardlyv offset to provide shoulders engaging theupper side of the partition and to provide downwardly projecting flangeportions which extend across the edges of said partition and overlap theupper end portions of the lower series of plates, any or all of saidplates being provided with a lens or lenses.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said corner post-s havingangularly related vertical flanges to which said side plates areconnected, the corner portions of said partition being repessed toreceive said flanges.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HARRY BLE'DSOE.

